Pneumatic document card reader

ABSTRACT

A reader for document cards having a read station with a pneumatically actuated electric switch assembly which is easily removable from the reader by swinging the assembly upwardly out of detentheld position and then detaching the assembly from a multiple contact socket. The cards are fed to the read station from a hopper having document card pick rolls on its bottom which are moved into card picking position by a pneumatic actuator releasably held in a carrier from which the actuator may be easily removed for replacement. The pick rolls are carried by a swinging carrier in which the rolls are releasably held under spring pressure for easy replacement. The reader includes a stacker with a stacker full switch held by a pair of pins from which the switch may be detached for easy replacement.

United States Patent [191 Dimmick et al.

5]March 20, 1973 [54] PNEUMATIC DOCUMENT CARD READER [73] Assignee:International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY.

221 Filed: Dec.22, 1971 21 Appl.No.: 211,018

[52] U.S. Cl ..235/61.11 J, 271/41, 271/86 [51] Int. Cl ..G06k 7/02,B65h 1/06, B65h 31/00 [58] Field ofSearch ..235/200 R, 200 PP, 201 R,235/201 ME,201FS, 201 PP, 61.11 J, 61.11 R; 271/41, 86, DIG. 1;209/1l0[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,510,552 6/1950 Carroll etal ..235/6l.1l .1 3,057,974 10/1962 Cohen ..235/6l.ll .l

3,224,759 12/1965 Wolf ..27 I/86 3,497,205 2/1970 Harrison... ....271/4l3,514,098 5/1970 Ostwold ..27 l/4l Primary Examiner-Daryl W. CookAttorneyKeith T. Bleuer et al.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A reader for document cards having a read station with apneumatically actuated electric switch assembly which is easilyremovable from the reader by swinging the assembly upwardly out ofdetentheld position and then detaching the assembly from a multiplecontact socket. The cards are fed to the read station from a hopperhaving document card pick rolls on its bottom which are moved into cardpicking position by a pneumatic actuator releasably held in a carrierfrom which the actuator may be easily removed for replacement. The pickrolls are carried by a swinging carrier in which the rolls arereleasably held under spring pressure for easy replacement. The readerincludes a stacker with a stacker full switch held by a pair of pinsfrom which the switch may be detached for easy replacement.

13 Claims, 21 Drawing Figures PATEmEnmzolsn 1,

SHEET 1 or 7 FIG.|

PATENTEUHARZOISYE SHEET 2 [IF 7 FIG. 3

FIG. 9

FIG. 8

PATENTEDmzoms SHEET [1F 7 FIG. 5

FIGS? PATENTEDHAREOIQB 3,721,808

SHEET 8 BF 7 /l 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 IO II l2 I3 l4 l5 I6 I? I8 I9202I2223242526272829303l 32 B B A O A TIER 22 o 2 NQ 2 \J 2 B l 2 3 3I32 A Aa 8 T|ER 4 4 NO. 2 2 2 B 33 64 B Q Q TIER 4 4 3 2 2 I 65 96 I J FIG. 2|

uuuuu uuu 9o 88 as 10o-Q res L FIG. l5 FIG. l6

PNEUMATIC DOCUMENT CARD READER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1 Field ofthe Invention The invention relates to readers for perforated documentcards, and more particularly to such readers which perform theirfunction by the application of pneumatics. the perforations swung 2.Description of the Prior Art Prior document card readers have generallybeen of the electrical type in which perforated document cards are fedover a read station having electrical contacts extending through andcompleting electrical circuits for reading the various perforations.Optical readers have also been generally used in which light shiningthrough the perforations in document cards actuates light sensitivedevices for providing indications of the particular perforations in thecards.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention toprovide an improved document card reader of the pneumatic type with aread station comprising a pneumatically actuated electrical switchassembly which senses the perforations in document cards and which iseasily removable from the reader for replacement. To this end, it is anobject of the invention to provide such a switch assembly which is heldin operative position in the reader by detent mechanism and which isreceived in an electrical socket from which the assembly may bewithdrawn, after the assembly has been swung out of operative positionagainst the action of the detent mechanism.

It is another object of the invention to provide a hopper in the readerfor the document cards having pick rolls on its bottom which are movedinto operative position for picking a card by means of a pneumaticactuator, the actuator being easily removed from a holder therefor foreasy replacement.

It is also an object to mount the pick rolls by means of a swingingcarrier, with the pick rolls being yieldably held in proper positionwith respect to a drive shaft and the carrier by means of a spring, sothat the pick rolls may be removed for replacement simply by moving thepick rolls in an axial direction against the action of the spring.

It is also an object of the invention in connection with a card stackerin the reader to provide a stackerfull switchwhich is easily removedfrom mounting pins simply by sliding the switch off of the pins for easyreplacement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view ofthe document card reader ofthe invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the document card reader;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the reader;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of an electrically controlledpneumatic actuator used in the reader;

FIG. 6 is a rear view of one of the component blocks in the pneumaticactuator;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the pneumatic actuator in assembled condition;

FIG. 9 is an end view of the actuator;

FIG. 10 is an end view of the pneumatic actuator together with thefixture for holding the pneumatic actuator;

FIG. 11 is a side view of the fixture;

FIG. 12 is another side view of the fixture taken from the other side; I

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an air plenum constituting a part ofthe read station of the reader;

FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of a pneumatic read headassembly of the reader together with adjacent parts;

FIG. 15 is a bottom view of the read head assembly;

FIG. 16 is an elevational view of the read head assembly;

FIG. 17 is an exploded view of a document card pick roll assembly in thecard hopper of the reader;

FIG. 18 is an exploded view of the upper portion of the card stacker ofthe reader;

FIG. 19 is a view of a micro-switch in the card stacker together withthe socket receiving the terminals of the micro-switch;

FIG. 20 is a sectional view taken on line 20-20 of FIG. 14; and

FIG. 21 is a face view of a document card usable in the reader.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, adocument card 20 of the type, adapted to be read by the reader of theinvention, may be seen to have a print area on its upper portion andtiers l, 2, and 3 on its lower portion. The card 20 may have punchedopenings 22 through it in the tiers, and these punched openings may bein 32 columns in each of the tiers. Each column may contain as many assix punched openings 22, and these may be labeled 1, 2, 4, 8, A and B.Therefore, the first 32 columns of punchings 22 may lie in tier No. 1;columns 33 to 64 of the punchings 22 may lie in tier No. 2 and columns65 to 96 of the punchings 22 may lie in tier No. 3.

The reader of the invention comprises, in general, a hopper 24, a readstation 26, and a stacker 28 for handling the document cards 20. Thehopper 24, read station 26, and stacker 28 are all fixed with respect toa backbone or frame 30 of the machine.

The hopper 24 has a bottom 32 and front and rear walls 34 and 36. Thebottom 32 has an upwardly extending portion 38, and oblong openings 40are provided in the portion 38. A document pick roll 42 is disposed ineach of the openings 40, and the rolls 42 are fixed onto a shaft 44. Therolls 42 are movable upwardly through the openings 40 by virtue of beingrotatably mounted in a carrier 46 disposed beneath the bottom 32 of thehopper 24. The carrier 46 is swingably mounted by means of a flexurespring 48 so as to provide this vertical movement of the rolls 42.

One end of the shaft 44 is received in a cylindrical cavity 50 formed incarrier 46, and the other end of the shaft 44 is provided with a cavity52 having flats 54. The carrier 46 has a shaft 56 rotatably mountedtherein with external flats 58 on one end, and this end of shaft 56extends into the cavity 52 with the flats 58 and 54 providing a drivingconnection between shaft 56 and shaft 44. A spring 60 yieldably holdsthe driving end of the shaft 56 within the cavity 52 in shaft 44.

A document card throat 62 is provided at the forward end of the hopper24 by means of a shoe 64 fixed on the bottom 32 of the hopper 24 and adownwardly tapering edge surface 66 on the front hopper wall 34. Theclearance between the edge surface 66 and shoe 64 is just slightlygreater than the thickness of a document card so that only one card 20may pass at a time through the throat 62.

The read station 26 comprises an air plenum 68 having a cavity 70therein to which air under pressure is supplied as will be subsequentlydescribed. The plenum 68 has a row of ports 72 extending through itsupper surface and in communication with the cavity 70, and these ports72 have the same spacing as the openings 22 in aligned columns of thecard 20; for example, aligned columns 1, 33 and 65. The plenum 68 hasopposite side rails 74 and 76 fixed with respect to the plenum 68, andan undulating leaf spring 78 extends along the inner edge of the rail 74in a groove 79 so as to force a document card 20 into firm slidingengagement with the rail 76 as the card passes through the read station.The spring 78 has a return bent end portion 78a fitting in a slot 74a inthe rail 74. A pair of pins 80 and 82 extend upwardly from the rails 74and 76 respectively, and a pin 84 having an enlarged tapered upper head86 extends upwardly from the rail 76.

A pneumatic switch assembly 88 is disposed above the plenum 68. Theassembly 88 has a row of ports 90 each of which is in register with oneof the ports 72. The switch assembly may be of any suitable constructioninternally such as that disclosed in the co-pending application of D. F.Jensen, et al, for Pneumatic Reading System for Document Cards, SerialNo. 156,728, filed June 25, 197i, and includes an internal electricswitch which corresponds to each of the ports 90 and which is closedwhen air under pressure is applied to the port 90. The assembly 88includes an inwardly extending flange 92 of insulating material whichcarries a contact strip 94 connected to each of the electric switches.The assembly 88 in its lower surface is provided with slots 96 and 98for receiving the pins 80 and 82, respectively, and an opening 100 thatbecomes greater in diameter internally from the lower face of theassembly 88 so as to form a snap or detent connection with the pin 84.

The flange 92 has a slip connection with a connector or socket 102. Theconnector 102 is U-shaped in cross section and has a contact 104 on itsinner surface for engaging and embracing each of the contact strips 94.The connector 102 has a pair of shaft portions 106 extending from itsends, and these are received in slots 107 formed in the frame 30. A pairof leaf springs 108 and 109 bear on the connector 102 and yieldablyforce the assembly 88 downwardly and forwardly so as to yieldablymaintain the detent connection of the assembly 88 with the headed pin84. An electric cable 110 provides respective connections to theindividual contacts 104.

A card feed roll 112 fixed on a shaft 114 is provided for moving a card20 into and through the read station 26, once the card has passedthrough the throat 62; and a pressure roll 116 mounted on a verticallydisposed,

leaf flexure spring 118 is provided for holding the card firmly incontact with the roll 112.

A card propelling roll 120 fixed on a shaft 122 is provided for movingthe card 20 through the read station 26 and into the hopper 28. Apressure roll 124 mounted in a holder 126 and acted on by a spring 127has a nip with the roll 120 to prevent slippage between roll 120 and thecard 20. A combined emitter wheel and hand wheel 128 is fixed onto theshaft 122, and a magnetic emitter 130 is located in close proximity tothe periphery of the wheel 128. The wheel 128 carries a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced pieces of magnetic material in its periphery sothat an electric pulse is generated in the emitter 130 for each of thesemagnetic pieces for controlling reading circuitry connected with theswitches in the assembly 88 by means of the cable 110.

The stacker 28 has a back 132, and a stacker-full switch 134 is disposedon the back 132. The switch 134 comprises a micro-switch unit 136 havingan actuator 138. The unit 136 has a pair of openings through it and isremovably held in place on the back 132 by means of a pair of pins 140and 142 extending through the openings in the switch unit 136. A switchactuating arm 144 is swingably disposed on a shaft 146 carried by back132 and has a return bent portion 148 adapted to lie on another shaft150 carried by back 132. A return bent clip 152 also extends around theshaft 146 and overlies a portion of the arm 144 so that the clip 152swings with arm 144. The downwardly depending portion of the clip 152directs cards 20 into the hopper 28 as they move between rolls 120 and124, and the arm 144 when moved by a stack of cards 20 in the hopper 28contacts the actuator 138 and closes the switch within the unit 136which may be connected to suitable circuitry for thereupon causingoperation of the reader to cease. The switch unit 136 has a pair ofoutput terminals 154 and 156, and an electrical connector 158 has asliding fit onto the terminals 154 and 156.

The carrier 46 for the pick rolls 42 is moved by means of a pneumaticactuator 160. The actuator 160 has a piston rod 162 that bears againstthe carrier 46 and moves the carrier 46 upwardly when the piston rod 162is moved in this direction. The actuator 160 is held in position by aU-shaped fixture or holder 164 fixed to frame 30 and having arms 166 and168 on the opposite sides of the actuator 160. The arm 166 has arelatively wide groove 170 on its inside surface, and the arm 168 has arelatively narrow groove 172 in its inside surface. The actuator 160 hasa relatively wide tongue or rib 174 on one side and has a relativelynarrow tongue or rib 176 on its other side, and the ribs 174 and 176respectively enter and are contained in the grooves 170 and 172,assuring that the actuator 160 can only be inserte d into the fixture164 in one disposition therein. In

order that the actuator 160 may be held firmly in position in thefixture 164, the arms 166 and 168 when free of the actuator 160 may bemore closely spaced than when the actuator 160 is in position; and ifdesired, suitable mating protrusions and depressions may be provided inthe inner surfaces of the arms 166 and 168 and the outer surfaces of theactuator 160 for detent action.

The actuator 160 has a pair of air inlet conduits 178 and 180 extendingfrom one side thereof and has a pair of electrical terminals 182 alsoextending from this side of the actuator 160. Corresponding openings areprovided in the fixture 164 for receiving the conduits 178 and 180 andfor receiving the terminals 182 so that proper connection to a supply ofair under pressure (hereinafter described) and to electrical circuitrycan be made when the actuator 160 is inserted into its proper positionin the fixture 164.

The actuator 160 is formed by a block 184, a diaphragm 186, a block 188,tape 190, a block 192, tape 194, a diaphragm 196, tape 198, a block 200,tape 202, and a plate 204 connected together in the order just mentionedinto a single assembly. The rod 162 is fixed to a piston 205 provided ina cavity 206 formed in the blocks 184 and 188. The conduits 178 and 180are carried by the block 192. The conduit 180 is connected to a pair ofsmall ports 207 and 208, and the conduit 178 is connected to a cavity210 which is one of a series of cavities including cavities 212, 214 and216. A divider 218 is provided between cavities 210 and 212, and adivider 220 is provided between cavities 214 and 216. An electricsolenoid 222 is provided in a suitable central cavity in the block 192,and solenoid 222 has an axially movable armature 224 which constitutes apermanent magnet. The armature 224 carries a valve piece 226; and, whenthe armature 224 and valve piece 226 are at the limits of their upwardmovement in block 192, air jetting from the port 207 is blocked(although the valve piece does not seal the port 207), while air jettingfrom the port 208 is blocked when the armature 224 and valve 226 are atthe lowermost limits of their movement. A magnet 228 is disposed in asuitable recess in block 200, and this constitutes magnetic means foracting on the armature 224 for bringing it to its uppermost position.

The cavities 212 and 214 are connected with the cavity 206 by suitableopenings in the block 188 and tape 190. The cavity 216 is connected withatmosphere by means of a suitable recess 230 in the block 192.

The tape 194, the diaphragm 196 and the tape 198 are provided withcutouts, as illustrated, which are in alignment with certain portions ofthe blocks 192 and 200. In particular, the block 200 is provided withports 232, 234, 236 and 238 extending therethrough which are inalignment with some of these cutouts and which are connected by channels240 and 242 in block 200, these being for specific functions to behereinafter described.

For driving the pick rolls 42 and the card propelling rolls 112 and 120,pulleys 244 and 246 are respectively fixed on shafts 122 and 56 andpulleys 248 and 250 are fixed onto shaft 114. The pulley 244 ispreferably combined with the emitter 128, and the pulleys 248 and 250are preferably provided on a single piece of material. All of thepulleys are of the peripherially serrated type for cooperating withinternally toothed belts. The prime mover is an electric motor 252, andthis has a similar toothed pulley 254 on its output shaft. An internallytoothed belt 256 extends around the pulleys 254, 244, and 250, and asimilar internally toothed belt 258 extends around the pulleys 248 and246.

An air pump 260 is mounted on the rear end of the motor 252 andconstitutes the source of air pressure for the actuator 160 and the readstation 26. A conduit 262 constitutes the air input to the pump 260, andthe conduit 262 is connected with an air filter unit 264. The unit 264has a porous air filter 266 therein, and the unit 264 is closed by a cap268 that screws onto the unit 264 and is located at the front of themachine just below the actuator 160.

A conduit 270 constitutes the output of the pump 260, and the conduit270 is connected to an air plenum 272 formed in the backbone 30 of themachine. A pair of smaller diameter conduits 274 and 276 arerespectively connected to supply pressure air to the read station 26 andto the actuator 160, in particular to the conduits 178 and 180 of theactuator 160.

In the operation of the reader, a stack of the document cards 20 ispositioned in the hopper 24, face up, and with the print areas towardthe front of the machine. The actuator is energized for each of thecards 20 to be moved out of the hopper 24 toward the read station 26.The actuator 160 upon energization has its piston 205 and piston rod 162moved upwardly, and the rod 162 swings the carrier 46 upwardly about itsflexure 48. The pick rolls 42 are thus moved in the openings 40 throughthe bottom 32 of the hopper 24 so as to make frictional contact with thelowermost card 20 in the card stack. The shaft 44 and pick rolls 42 aredriven from the motor 252 by means of the belt 256, the pulleys 254,244, and 250, the belt 258 and the pulleys 248 and 246. The lowermostcard 20 is thus moved through the throat 62 toward the read station 26.

The pneumatic actuator 160 is energized in order to cause this movementof the pick rolls 42 by applying an electric potential to the terminals182. Air under pressure is supplied to both of the conduits 178 and 180from the conduits 274, the plenum 272, the conduit 270, and the pump260. The pump 260 derives the air that is compressed by the pump, as isapparent, through the air filter 264 and the conduit 270. The armature224 has been held to the upper limit of its movement by the action ofthe magnet 228 on the magnetized armature 224; and, upon application ofan electromotive force to the terminals 182, the solenoid 222 isenergized and pulls the armature 224 and valve 226 downwardly to thelimits of their movement. The valve 226 in this position diverts airjetting through the port 208 from the conduit 178, and this air flowssidewardly through the block 192 to atmosphere. Under these conditions,therefore, no jetted air is supplied through the port 234, the channel240 and the port 236 onto the diaphragm 196; and the diaphragm 196 istherefore not sealed on the divider 218. Air under pressure is suppliedto the cavity 206 from the conduit 178, and this air under pressureflows from the cavity 210 and through the cavity 212 to the lower sideof the diaphragm 186. The air under pressure applied to diaphragm 186moves the piston 205 and piston rod 162 upwardly so as to swing the pickroll carrier 46 and pick rolls 42 upwardly for picking a card 20 asabove mentioned.

After the card 20 has moved out of the hopper 24, the solenoid 222 isde-energized, and the armature 224 and valve 226 move upwardly under theaction of the magnet 228. In this position of the value 226, it blocksand diverts the jet of air flowing through the port 207, allowing theair to vent upwardly through the associated recess in the block 192; andthe jet of air through the port 208 in this case is directed through theport 234, the channel 240, and the port 236 so as to seal the diaphragm196 onto the divider 218. The flow of air under pressure from the cavity210 to the cavity 212 and to the diaphragm 186 then ceases. Blockage ofthe port 207 by the valve 226 ceases the application of air underpressure onto the diaphragm 196 from the port 238, and the cavity 214connected with the diaphragm 186 is thus opened to atmosphere throughthe cavity 216 and recess 230. The piston 205 and rod 162 then move backinto their original positions under the weight of the carrier 46 andpick rolls 42, with the pick rolls at this time being out of engagingrelation with a card 20 on the bottom of the stack of cards in thehopper 24.

As the document card 20 passes through the throat 62, the card isengaged between the rolls 112 and 116. The roll 112 is driven from thepulley 250 and the shaft 114 on which this pulley is mounted, and thecard 20 passes through the read station 26. It will be noted that theleaf spring 118 holds the roll 116 canted with respect to the roll 112,and this disposition of the roll 116, as well as the spring 78, holdsthe card 20 in en gagement with the rail 76 as the card 20 passesthrough the read station 26. Any existing card holes 22 align with theholes 72 in the plenum 68 and the holes 90 in the switch assembly 88;and, initially, those of the holes 22 that actually exist in columns 32,64, and 96 of the card 20 are read by the read station 26. Inparticular, the electric switches corresponding to the existing holes 22in the card 20 are made or closed causing electric potential to appearon the contact strips 94 and the corresponding leads in the cable 110.Subsequently, with continued movement of the card 20, the holes 22 thatactually exist in the following aligned columns 31, 63, and 95; 30, 62,and 94; etc., are read by the read station 26, with the correspondingswitches in the assembly 88 being closed due to the airjetted throughthe aligned openings 72, 22, and 90. The closed condition of theswitches within the switch assembly 88 are sensed at predetermined anddesired times under the control of the emitter 130 and emitter wheel 128in accordance with conventional practice.

As the card 20 moves through the read station 26, it is engaged by theroll 120 driven by means of shaft 122 and pulley 244, with the pressureroll 124 holding the card in engagement with roll 120; and the card 20is thus moved into the stacker 28. In particular, the card 20 strikesthe downwardly depending leg of the clip 152 and is thereby directeddownwardly into the stacker. Subsequent cards 20 in the stack of cardswithin the hopper 24 pass in the same manner through the machine intothe hopper 28 and are read by the machine.

When a sufficient number of the cards 20 have been read by the machineso as to fill the stacker 28 to the extent that the uppermost cards movethe portion 148 off of its shaft 150 to a substantial extent, the arm144 acting on the actuator 138 ofthe switch unit 136 closes the switchunit 136. Suitable circuitry connected with the switch unit 136 then hasthe effect of turning off the motor 252 and causing the reader to ceaseoperation.

Various units in the machines are so constructed and connected with therest of the machine that they may be easily removed and replaced in theevent that these units become defective and inoperative. In order toreplace the actuator 160, it is only necessary to grasp the oppositeedges of the actuator 160 and pull it out of its holder 164. Thedefective actuator 160 may then be replaced. The assembly of the pickrolls 42 and the shaft 44 may be easily removed from the carrier 46,assuming that the pick rolls 42 need replacement, by moving the shaft 44and pick rolls 42 rearwardly of the machine against the spring 60 andthen swinging the pick roll-shaft assembly away from the cavity 50 andout of the carrier 46. This is best accomplished with the actuator 160having been previously removed from its retaining fixture 164. In theevent that the switch assembly 88 needs replacement, the assembly 88 isswung upwardly, initial swinging movement being against the action ofthe detent which includes the headed pin 84 cooperating with the sidesof the opening 100. The swinging of the assembly 88 is with accompanyingswinging movement of the socket 102 about its shaft portions 106 withinthe slots 107 of the frame 30. After the assembly 88 clears the headedpin 84, the assembly 88 is withdrawn from the socket 102 against thespring action of the contacts 104 and the socket 102 itself, therebydetaching the assembly 88 from the socket 102. The replacement assembly88 may be put in place by moving the flange 92 into place between thelegs of the socket 102 so as to mate the respective contacts 94 and 104,and the replacement assembly 88 is then swung downwardly so as to againmate the headed pin 84 with the sides of the opening to put thereplacement assembly 88 into its correct reading position. The swingingattachment of the assembly is also valuable in allowing easy access tothe card path in the event of card jams. 1n the event that themicro-switch unit 136 becomes defective, it is only necessary to slidethe electrical connector 158 off of the terminals 154 and 156 and thenpull the microswitch unit 136 off of its supporting pins and 142. Areplacement switch unit 136 may then be put into the same position anddisposition as the original unit 136. The cap 268 of the air filter unit264 is located on the front of the machine just below the actuator 160;and, in the event it is desired to replace the filter 266, the cap 268may be unscrewed from the front of the machine for this purpose. Thespring 78 resiliently holds itself in the groove 79 and slot 74a, andthis construction thus allows the spring to be snapped into and out ofposition for easy replacement.

What is claimed is: 1. A reader for perforated document cards comprisinga hopper for the document cards,

a read station, a stacker for the document cards, a pick roll, means forrotatably driving said pick roll, said pick roll being movably mountedat the bottom of said hopper and movable through an opening provided inthe bottom of the hopper for moving a document card out of the hoppertoward said read station, a pneumatic actuator for moving said pick rollthrough said opening in the bottom of the hopper so that the pick rollmay act as aforesaid on a document card, said read station including aplenum having a plurality of air discharge ports in a face thereof and apneumatically actuated electrical switch assembly, and

transport rolls for transporting a document card from said hopperbetween said plenum and switch assembly and then into said stacker, saidswitch assembly having an air reception port located opposite each ofsaid first named ports whereby a switch in said assembly is actuatedfrom air jetted through aligned pairs of said ports and through adocument card perforation aligned with these aligned ports.

2. A reader as set forth in claim 1, said pneumatic actuator includingan electric control solenoid therein for causing the actuator to beeither operative or inoperative,

said actuator being readily removable from the rest of the reader andhaving slideably detachable pneumatic and electrical connectionstherewith whereby the pneumatic and electrical connections may bereadily broken and re-made, and

electric socket means for completing electrical connections from saidswitch assembly and including slideably disconnectable electric contactsfor ready connection and disconnection of the switch assembly withrespect to the rest of the reader.

3. A machine for reading document cards comprising a read station andmeans for transporting document cards through said read station,

said read station including a plenum having a plurality of air dischargeports in a face thereof and a pneumatically operated electrical switchassembly having an air reception port located opposite each of saidfirst named ports, and

electric socket means for making electrical connection with said switchassembly and releasable with respect to said assembly to allow theassembly to be disconnected with respect to the machine.

4. A machine for reading document cards as set forth in claim 3 andincluding means for releasably holding said switch assembly in documentcard reading position with respect to said plenum, and

means for swingably mounting said socket means so that said switchassembly may be swung upwardly along with said socket means after beingreleased and the switch assembly may then be disconnected with respectto said socket means.

5. A machine for reading document cards as set forth in claim 4, saidswitch assembly including a flange of insulating material carrying aseries of contact strips electrically connected with pneumaticallyoperated electrical switches in said assembly and said socket meansincluding a female connector for embracing and receiving said flange andhavinG an electrical contact for making contact with each of saidcontact strips on said flange.

6. A machine for reading document cards as set forth in claim 3, saidsocket means and said assembly having mating male and female connectorparts carrying mating contacts and one of said parts being swingablymounted on the machine so as to allow said switch assembly to be swungupwardly out of card reading position with respect to said plenum priorto disconnection, and

detent means for yieldably holding said switch assembly in document cardreading position with respect to said plenum.

7. In a document card processing machine, means forming a hopper for astack of document cards, a pick roll disposed at the bottom of saidhopper and movable through an opening in the bottom of said hopper into5 and out of gripping relationship with respect to the lowermost card ina card stack in said hopper,

means for rotatably driving said pick roll so that it propels thelowermost card out of the hopper when engaged therewith,

a pneumatic actuator for moving said pick roll into grippingrelationship with respect to the lowermost card in the card stack whenthe pneumatic actuator is in operative position, and

a releasable holder for said pneumatic actuator for releasably holdingthe actuator in its said operative position whereby the actuator may bereleased from its said holder and withdrawn therefrom for replacement.

8. A document card processing machine as set forth in claim 7, saidholder being U-shaped with a pair of opposite arms from which saidpneumatic actuator may be withdrawn and holding the actuator inoperative position due to the inherent resilience of said holder tendingto move said arms together.

9. A document card processing machine as set forth in claim 7, saidholder being U-shaped and receiving said pneumatic actuator and holdingit between two opposite spaced arms thereof,

said actuator including an electric solenoid for controlling the actionof the actuator, said machine including slideably disconnectingpneumatic and electrical connections between the actuator and the restof the machine which are respectively broken and completed when theactuator is moved out of or into operative position in said holder. 10.A document card processing machine as set forth in claim 7 and includinga plurality of other additional pick rolls similar to said first namedpick roll and all of which are fixed on a support shaft,

said pick roll driving means including a fixed bearing portion having arecess for receiving one end of the pick roll shaft and a driving shaftportion having a non-round recess, the other end of said pick rollsupport shaft having a non-round cross section and being received insaid non-round recess, and

spring means for holding said driving shaft portion in engagement withsaid pick roll support shaft and allowing the pick roll support shaft tobe moved axially to, in turn, move said shaft portion against saidspring means whereby the assembly of said pick rolls and pick rollsupport shaft may be withdrawn from operative position by moving theassembly against said spring means and out of said first named recess.

11. In a document card processing machine, a stacker for receivingdocument cards,

means for transmitting the document cards one by one into said stacker,and

a stacker-full switch assembly adapted to be actuated by the documentcards when they fill the stacker and including a pair of pins fixed withrespect to the rest of the machine and extending through a pair ofspaced openings in the switch assembly and allowing the switch assemblyto be withdrawnfrom the pins and from the machine for easy replacementof the switch assembly.

12. A document card processing machine as set forth in claim 11, saidswitch assembly including a microswitch unit having said openingstherethrough and having an actuator button on its lower edge and themachine including an arm swingably mounted on a fixed shaft positionedadjacent to said switch unit and contacted by the uppermost cards in acard stack within the hopper and contacting said actuator button so asto actuate the micro-switch unit when the stacker is full of documentcards.

13. In a transport for document cards, means providing a support surfaceover which the cards may move,

a rail fixed on one edge of said support surface for acting as a guidefor the document cards,

a rail fixed on the other side of said surface and having a groovedisposed between the rail and said surface and having a slot in its rearside adjacent one end of the rail, and

an undulating leaf spring disposed in said groove and having a returnbent portion extending into said slot which groove and slot yieldablyhold the spring in position due to interaction with the sides of saidgroove and slot for firmly holding a document card in engagement withsaid first named rail as the document card moves over said surface.

1. A reader for perforated document cards comprising a hopper for thedocument cards, a read station, a stacker for the document cards, a pickroll, means for rotatably driving said pick roll, said pick roll beingmovably mounted at the bottom of said hopper and movable through anopening provided in the bottom of the hopper for moving a document cardout of the hopper toward said read station, a pneumatic actuator formoving said pick roll through said opening in the bottom of the hopperso that the pick roll may act as aforesaid on a document card, said readstation including a plenum having a plurality of air discharge ports ina face thereof and a pneumatically actuated electrical switch assembly,and transport rolls for transporting a document card from said hopperbetween said plenuM and switch assembly and then into said stacker, saidswitch assembly having an air reception port located opposite each ofsaid first named ports whereby a switch in said assembly is actuatedfrom air jetted through aligned pairs of said ports and through adocument card perforation aligned with these aligned ports.
 2. A readeras set forth in claim 1, said pneumatic actuator including an electriccontrol solenoid therein for causing the actuator to be either operativeor inoperative, said actuator being readily removable from the rest ofthe reader and having slideably detachable pneumatic and electricalconnections therewith whereby the pneumatic and electrical connectionsmay be readily broken and re-made, and electric socket means forcompleting electrical connections from said switch assembly andincluding slideably disconnectable electric contacts for readyconnection and disconnection of the switch assembly with respect to therest of the reader.
 3. A machine for reading document cards comprising aread station and means for transporting document cards through said readstation, said read station including a plenum having a plurality of airdischarge ports in a face thereof and a pneumatically operatedelectrical switch assembly having an air reception port located oppositeeach of said first named ports, and electric socket means for makingelectrical connection with said switch assembly and releasable withrespect to said assembly to allow the assembly to be disconnected withrespect to the machine.
 4. A machine for reading document cards as setforth in claim 3 and including means for releasably holding said switchassembly in document card reading position with respect to said plenum,and means for swingably mounting said socket means so that said switchassembly may be swung upwardly along with said socket means after beingreleased and the switch assembly may then be disconnected with respectto said socket means.
 5. A machine for reading document cards as setforth in claim 4, said switch assembly including a flange of insulatingmaterial carrying a series of contact strips electrically connected withpneumatically operated electrical switches in said assembly and saidsocket means including a female connector for embracing and receivingsaid flange and havinG an electrical contact for making contact witheach of said contact strips on said flange.
 6. A machine for readingdocument cards as set forth in claim 3, said socket means and saidassembly having mating male and female connector parts carrying matingcontacts and one of said parts being swingably mounted on the machine soas to allow said switch assembly to be swung upwardly out of cardreading position with respect to said plenum prior to disconnection, anddetent means for yieldably holding said switch assembly in document cardreading position with respect to said plenum.
 7. In a document cardprocessing machine, means forming a hopper for a stack of documentcards, a pick roll disposed at the bottom of said hopper and movablethrough an opening in the bottom of said hopper into and out of grippingrelationship with respect to the lowermost card in a card stack in saidhopper, means for rotatably driving said pick roll so that it propelsthe lowermost card out of the hopper when engaged therewith, a pneumaticactuator for moving said pick roll into gripping relationship withrespect to the lowermost card in the card stack when the pneumaticactuator is in operative position, and a releasable holder for saidpneumatic actuator for releasably holding the actuator in its saidoperative position whereby the actuator may be released from its saidholder and withdrawn therefrom for replacement.
 8. A document cardprocessing machine as set forth in claim 7, said holder being U-shapedwith a pair of opposite arms from which said pneumatic actuator may bewithdrawn and holding the actuator in operative position due to theinherent resilieNce of said holder tending to move said arms together.9. A document card processing machine as set forth in claim 7, saidholder being U-shaped and receiving said pneumatic actuator and holdingit between two opposite spaced arms thereof, said actuator including anelectric solenoid for controlling the action of the actuator, saidmachine including slideably disconnecting pneumatic and electricalconnections between the actuator and the rest of the machine which arerespectively broken and completed when the actuator is moved out of orinto operative position in said holder.
 10. A document card processingmachine as set forth in claim 7 and including a plurality of otheradditional pick rolls similar to said first named pick roll and all ofwhich are fixed on a support shaft, said pick roll driving meansincluding a fixed bearing portion having a recess for receiving one endof the pick roll shaft and a driving shaft portion having a non-roundrecess, the other end of said pick roll support shaft having a non-roundcross section and being received in said non-round recess, and springmeans for holding said driving shaft portion in engagement with saidpick roll support shaft and allowing the pick roll support shaft to bemoved axially to, in turn, move said shaft portion against said springmeans whereby the assembly of said pick rolls and pick roll supportshaft may be withdrawn from operative position by moving the assemblyagainst said spring means and out of said first named recess.
 11. In adocument card processing machine, a stacker for receiving documentcards, means for transmitting the document cards one by one into saidstacker, and a stacker-full switch assembly adapted to be actuated bythe document cards when they fill the stacker and including a pair ofpins fixed with respect to the rest of the machine and extending througha pair of spaced openings in the switch assembly and allowing the switchassembly to be withdrawn from the pins and from the machine for easyreplacement of the switch assembly.
 12. A document card processingmachine as set forth in claim 11, said switch assembly including amicro-switch unit having said openings therethrough and having anactuator button on its lower edge and the machine including an armswingably mounted on a fixed shaft positioned adjacent to said switchunit and contacted by the uppermost cards in a card stack within thehopper and contacting said actuator button so as to actuate themicro-switch unit when the stacker is full of document cards.
 13. In atransport for document cards, means providing a support surface overwhich the cards may move, a rail fixed on one edge of said supportsurface for acting as a guide for the document cards, a rail fixed onthe other side of said surface and having a groove disposed between therail and said surface and having a slot in its rear side adjacent oneend of the rail, and an undulating leaf spring disposed in said grooveand having a return bent portion extending into said slot which grooveand slot yieldably hold the spring in position due to interaction withthe sides of said groove and slot for firmly holding a document card inengagement with said first named rail as the document card moves oversaid surface.